Darker skin pigmentation is considered desirable by many persons, socially and aesthetically. At present, the most common method for darkening the skin is through sun-tanning, using either natural sunlight or specially designed ultraviolet (UV) light sources, e.g., tanning lamps.
However, extended exposure of human skin to ultraviolet light is known to have adverse consequences, both in the short term and in the long term. Specifically, in the short term, individuals exposed to UV risk a painful sunburn and keratitis. In the long term, extended exposure to ultraviolet radiation can result in photoaging and "leathery" skin, and can further result in various forms of skin cancer and ultimately death.
Fair-skinned individuals are particularly susceptible to sun-induced skin disorders and cancers. For example, they face a higher risk of melanoma (skin cancer), and often incur photo-aging or dermatoheliosis, a condition characterized by wrinkling, irregular pigmentation, and surface roughness. However, even darker skinned individuals exposed to prolonged sunlight incur a high risk of skin cancer and exacerbated aging.
These risks, together with the continued desirability of the suntan look, have resulted in a wide range of UV protection sunscreen agents. Such sunscreen agents are typically suspended in a cream, lotion, gel, mousses, waxed based sticks, aerosols, and alcohol sticks for topical application to the skin. For example, the Coppertone.RTM. Company makes a large assortment of popular sunscreen lotions with varying degrees of sun block which extend the body's normal resistance to UV radiation.
One important step in the proper application of an UV protective sunscreen lotion on the body is the even and complete coverage of all bodily areas which are exposed to the sun. Typical sunscreen lotions and the like are applied as clear or white creams that are difficult to see upon application. It is thus difficult for a user of these typical sunscreen lotions to assure even and complete coverage on the body. Consequently, it is common to miss spots, resulting in an uneven tan or burn, and the increased susceptibility to the several risks discussed above.
It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide a sunscreen agent which increases the likelihood of even and complete coverage when applied to the body.
Another object of the invention is to provide a UV protective sunscreen lotion which reduces the risks associated with improper application to the body.
Still another object of the invention is to provide improvements to lotions, gels, mousses and creams that are applied topically to the human skin.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the description which follows.